Rotary engine

Abstract

A rotary engine utilizing hydrocarbon fuel having a circular rotor with one or more spaced pistons which are in sealing relationship with a generally circular torus. One or more compression expansion valves which rotate about an axis tangent to the torus wall are in sealing relation with the rotor and have a combustion chamber formed in the hub thereof. As the valve rotates about an axis, compression and expansion ports alternately communicate with the interior of the torus. One or more divider valves separate the intake and exhaust functions of the cycles and have a rotation about an axis tangent to the torus wall. The divider valves are in sealing relationship with the rotor body with a notch which allows the pistons to pass therethrough. The piston draws a vacuum on the intake valve, pulling gas into the torus and compressing the gas ahead of the piston into the combustion chamber through a compression port. As the rotor rotates, the combustion chamber rotates simultaneously the gas is ignited, and expands against the trailing face of the piston as the expansion ports of the combustion chamber align with the working area of the torus. The gases push the piston away from the compression-expansion valve rotating the rotor, and the piston simultaneously pushes previously exhausted gas out the exhaust ports.

Having described my invention, I claim: 
     
       1. A rotary engine comprising: a hollow housing, the inner wall of which defines a portion of a torus shaped gas working space; a rotor rotatably mounted in the hollow housing having a truncated hyperboloid shape and which defines the interior wall of the torus shaped gas working space; seal means between said housing and said rotor; a piston extending outwardly from said rotor with the tip of said piston sealingly and slideably engaging the outer torus wall; a shaft rotatably supported in the housing and being secured to said rotor; a compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing, said compression-expansion valve extending into the torus shaped gas working space and rotatably engaging the rotor and pistons, said compression-expansion valve having a notch formed on the outer periphery thereof to allow the piston to pass through the notch; seal means on said compression-expansion valve urged into sealing engagement with said rotor; a combustion chamber in said compression-expansion valve with compression ports and expansion ports formed through the wall of said compression-expansion valve communicating with the combustion chamber and arranged to alternately communicate with the interior of the torus shaped gas working space upon rotation of said compression-expansion valve; a divider valve spaced from said compression-expansion valve arranged to form intake and exhaust sections in the torus shaped gas working space, said divider valve rotatably and sealingly engaging the rotor and pistons, said divider valve having a notch formed in the outer periphery thereof to allow the piston to pass thereby upon rotation thereagainst; drive means to cause the rotation of the compression-expansion valve and divider valve with relation to the rotor to cause the notches of the respective compression-expansion valve and divider valve to be aligned with the pistons when same are passing thereby; intake valve means provided in the inner wall of the housing communicating with the intake space of the torus shaped gas working space located adjacent the divider valve; exhaust ports provided in the inner wall of the housing located adjacent to and on the opposite side of the divider valve from the intake valve means; means to deliver fuel to the combustion chamber; and means to initiate combustion of fuel in said combustion chamber. 
     
     
       2. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably contacting the outer wall of the working section; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing and arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to form an end closure across said working section; at least one rotatable compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing arranged such that said compression-expansion valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor in spaced relationship to the divider valve and divides the working section into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, a hub on said compression-expansion valve; a valve disc on said compression-expansion valve, said hub extending outwardly from said disc, said hub having a combustion chamber formed in the central portion of said hub, said hub further having compression ports to and expansion ports from the combustion chamber, the compression ports terminating in the hub perimeter on one side of the valve disc and the expansion ports terminating in the hub perimeter on the opposite side of the valve disc, said compression ports to the combustion chamber being alternately opened to communicate with the intake-compression space and alternately closed by rotatively engaging the housing, said expansion ports from the combustion chamber being alternately opened to communicate with the expansion-exhaust space and laternately closed by rotatively engaging the housing; a fuel intake valve communicating with said intake-compression space; means to deliver fuel to said fuel intake valve; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the expansion-exhaust space; and drive means between the rotor and the compression-expansion valve and divider valve to rotate the said valves in timed relationship to the rotor. 
     
     
       3. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the rotor is in the shape of a truncated hyperboloid. 
     
     
       4. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the compression-expansion valve and the divider valve rotate about axes which are substantially parallel to tangents to the circular working section. 
     
     
       5. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the compression port and the expansion port to the combustion chamber in the compression-expansion valve are alternately closed and opened by rotatable contact with the housing wall. 
     
     
       6. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the compression-expansion valve and divider valve each has a notch on the outer periphery thereof arranged to allow the piston to pass through the notch upon relative rotation of the rotor and each of said valves. 
     
     
       7. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein the circular working section is enclosed by surfaces of modified tubular torus shape. 
     
     
       8. The combination called for in claim 7 with the addition of timing means associated with the drive means to cause the piston to coincide with the notches upon rotation thereof. 
     
     
       9. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein both the divider valve and the compression-expansion valve are in continuous sealing relationship with the rotor and the pistons thereon. 
     
     
       10. The combination called for in claim 2 with the addition of seal means on sides of the divider and compression-expansion valves; means urging said seal means into sealing relationship with the valve housing near the inner surface of the working section. 
     
     
       11. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein said divider valve has a groove formed about the periphery thereof; and with the addition of a seal bar in said groove; and means urging said seal bar into sealing relation with the surface on the rotor. 
     
     
       12. The combination called for in claim 2 wherein said compression-expansion valve has an L-shaped groove formed in the periphery thereof; an L-shaped seal bar in said L-shaped groove; and means urging said L-shaped seal bar into sealing relation with the surface of the rotor. 
     
     
       13. The combination called for in claim 2 with the addition of: a plurality of pistons on said rotor. 
     
     
       14. The combination called for in claim 2 with the addition of: a plurality of rotors secured to said shaft. 
     
     
       15. The combination called for in claim 2, with the addition of: first seal means; means securing said first seal means to said divider valve such that said first seal means slidingly engages said rotor and said piston; second seal means; and means securing said second seal means to said compression-expansion valve such that said second seal means slidingly engages said rotor and said piston. 
     
     
       16. The combination called for in claim 15, said first and second seal means comprising: curved seal bars; lugs on said seal bars, said divider valve and said compression-expansion valve having an L-shaped groove formed in the periphery thereof, said lugs on said seal bars extending into said L-shaped groove. 
     
     
       17. In a compressor; a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably contacting the outer wall of the working section, a multiplicity of seal bars individually recessed in grooves in the piston perimeter surface, said seal bars being adapted to seal between the piston and the housing in a direction normal to the direction of rotation; means to urge said seal bars into sealing position against the housing; a slipper seal end recessed in the piston with the surface substantially flush with an adjoining piston surface; connector means to radially restrain said slipper end and allow circumferential movement of said slipper seal end; a grille plate connecting said seal bars, said grille plate connecting forward and trailing seal bars to said slipper seal end, said grille plate consisting of a multiplicity of narrow, generally circumferentially orientated, individually recessed and spaced runners arranged to provide slipper wearing surface continuity of the one piece slipper combination in a circumferential direction and substantially conforming to the adjoining piston surface contour, said recesses having sufficient clearance to accommodate slipper seal movement related to radial in and out movement of the seal bars and expansion and contraction; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to divide said working section into an intake space and a compression space; an intake port communicating with said intake space; an exhaust port communicating with the compression space; and drive means between the rotor and the divider valve to rotate the said valve in timed relationship to the rotor. 
     
     
       18. The combination called for in claim 17, with the addition of: valve means in said intake port, said valve means being adapted to admit fluid to said intake space and to prevent leakage of fluid from said intake space through said intake port. 
     
     
       19. The combination called for in claim 17 with the addition of: valve means in said exhaust port, said valve means being adapted to pass fluid out of said compression space and to prevent leakage of fluid into said compression space through said exhaust port. 
     
     
       20. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming a cylindrical hollow space therein; a rotor rotatably mounted in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming an inner wall of a hollow torus-shaped working space in the housing, said inner wall of the housing forming an outer wall of said hollow torus-shaped working space; a piston on the rotor; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably engaging the outer wall of the hollow torus-shaped working space; a divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing; means on said divider valve sealingly engaging the outer surface of the rotor; a compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing such that said compression-expansion valve is spaced from said divider valve and divides said working space in the housing into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, said compression-expansion valve having a combustion chamber formed in the central portion thereof and further having compression ports to and expansion ports from the combustion chamber, the compression ports terminating on one side of the compression-expansion valve and the expansion ports terminating on the opposite side of the compression-expansion valve, said compression ports to the combustion chamber being alternately opened to communicate with the intake-compression section and alternately closed by rotatably engaging the housing, said expansion ports from the combustion chamber being alternately opened to communicate with the expansion-exhaust section and alternately closed by rotatably engaging the housing; seal means on said compression-expansion valve slidingly engaging the outer surface of said rotor; means to deliver fuel into said combustion chamber; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; drive means between said rotor and said compression-expansion valve and said divider valve to rotate said compression-expansion valve and said divider valve and said rotor in timed relationship; and means communicating with said expansion-exhaust space to remove products of combustion therefrom. 
     
     
       21. The combination called for in claim 20, said means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber comprising, a spark plug secured to said compression-expansion valve and extending into said combustion chamber; and means periodically delivering electric current to said spark plug. 
     
     
       22. The combination called for in claim 20, said means to deliver fuel into the combustion chamber comprising, a fuel injection nozzle positioned to inject fuel into said combustion chamber. 
     
     
       23. The combination called for in claim 20, said means to deliver fuel into said combustion chamber comprising, valve means in the wall of the housing to admit an air-fuel mixture to the intake-compression section such that upon rotation of said rotor the air-fuel mixture is compressed through said compression ports into said combustion chamber. 
     
     
       24. The combination called for in claim 20, said inner wall of the housing having an intake port formed therein communicating with said intake-compression section of said working space; and valve means in said intake port, said valve means being adapted to admit fluid to said intake-compression section and to prevent leakage of fluid from said intake-compression section through said intake port. 
     
     
       25. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably contacting the outer wall of the working section; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing and arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to form an end closure across said working section; at least one rotatable compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing arranged such that said compression-expansion valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor in spaced relationship to the divider valve and divides the working section into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, said compression-expansion valve having a combustion chamber formed therein, and having at least one compression port movable to communicate between the intake-compression space and the combustion chamber and having at least one expansion port movable to communicate between the combustion chamber and the expansion-exhaust space; a fuel intake valve communicating with said intake-compression space; a fuel intake manifold having a cavity to deliver fuel to said fuel intake valve; compression ratio reduction means communicating between the fuel intake manifold cavity and the intake compression space, said compression ratio reduction means being adapted to reduce the volume of gas drawn into and retained in the intake compression space by the piston; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the expansion-exhaust space; and drive means between the rotor and the compression-expansion valve and divider valve to rotate the said valves in timed relationship to the rotor. 
     
     
       26. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably contacting the outer wall of the working section; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing and arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to form an end closure across said working section; at least one rotatable compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing arranged such that said compression-expansion valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor in spaced relationship to the divider valve and divides the working section into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, said compression-expression valve having a combustion chamber formed therein, and having at least one compression port movable to communicate between the intake-compression space and the combustion chamber and having at least one expansion port movable to communicate between the combustion chamber and the expansion-exhaust space; a fuel intake valve communicating with said intake-compression space; means to deliver fuel to said fuel intake valve; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the expansion-exhaust space; and drive means between the rotor and the compression-expansion valve and divider valve to rotate the said valves in timed relationship to the rotor, wherein the rotor comprises: a rotor perimeter face having a concave shape conforming to the similar perimeter edges of the respective compression-expansion and divider valves, said perimeter face having one end of lesser diameter than the opposite end, and said pistons on said rotor having a gradual transition from the rotor perimeter face to the piston sealing tip consisting of a curved surface ramp having a contour as defined by the movement of the valve notch of the compression-expansion and divider valves such that the rotor and piston ramps provide a continuous sealing contact between the respective surfaces of the rotor and piston and the respective surfaces of the compression-expansion and divider valves through the full rotation and speed range of the rotor and valves. 
     
     
       27. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing and arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to form an end closure across said working section; at least one rotatable compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing arranged such that said compression-expansion valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor in spaced relationship to the divider valve and divides the working section into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, said compression-expansion valve having a combustion chamber formed therein, and having at least one compression port movable to communicate between the intake-compression space and the combustion chamber and having at least one expansion port movable to communicate between the combustion chamber and the expansion-exhaust space; a fuel intake valve communicating with said intake-compression space; a slipper seal on said piston, said slipper seal slideably contacting the outer wall of the working section, said slipper seal comprising: a multiplicity of seal bars, said seal bars each being positioned in a groove formed in said piston; a flexible metal grille plate having series of slots formed therein; means connecting said grille plate to said seal bars such that the metal grille plate provides narrow surfaces between the slots running in a general circumferential direction relative to the rotor thus providing a surface of continuity to prevent the seal bars from interfering with the valve seal means on the compression-expansion valve and divider valves, and the edges of the valve housings, said seal bars and adjacent grille plate being adapted to be urged outwardly to engage the inner wall of the housing to form a seal; and attachment means to movably secure the ends of the grille plate to the piston; means to deliver fuel to said fuel intake valve; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the expansion-exhaust space; and drive means between the rotor and the compression-expansion valve and divider valve to rotate the said valves in timed relationship to the rotor. 
     
     
       28. The combination called for in claim 27 wherein the means to urge said seal bars comprises: a spring adaped to urge said seal bar outwardly. 
     
     
       29. The combination called for in claim 27 wherein the compression-expansion valve and the divider valves have similarly shaped notches, said notches having a gradually curved configuration, said gradually curved configuration being defined to mate with the gradual curved transition formed by the rotor to piston ramp to provide a continuous seal between the valves and the rotor. 
     
     
       30. The combination called for in claim 27 wherein the seal bars have slots formed therein normal relative to the inner wall of the housing to permit movement of the seal bar with the contour of the inner wall of the housing; a seal bar envelope having slots formed therein, said seal bar envelope slideably disposed over the bottom of the seal bar such that the slots of the seal bar and envelope are staggered to form a flexible seal. 
     
     
       31. The combination called for in claim 27 wherein the means to urge said seal bars comprises: hydraulic pressure means adapted to urge said seal bars and grille plate into pressure engagement with said inner wall of said housing. 
     
     
       32. The combination called for in claim 31 with the addition of said hydraulic pressure means being adapted to intermittently interrupt pressure on said seal bars and grille plate when the piston passes a compression-expansion valve and divider valve. 
     
     
       33. The combination called for in claim 32 with the addition of: an arm; means pivotally securing a central portion of said arm in the rotor; means securing a first end of said arm to said seal bar; and a counterweight on the second end of said arm. 
     
     
       34. The combination called for in claim 32 with the addition of: pressure fluid actuated means secured in said rotor; means securing said pressure fluid actuating means to said seal bar; and means to selectively deliver pressurized fluid to said pressure fluid actuated means such that the pressure fluid actuated means exerts pressure on the seal bar to cause said seal bar and adjacent grille plate to engage the inner wall of said housing. 
     
     
       35. In a rotary engine: a hollow housing having an inner wall forming the outer wall of a circular working section; a shaft; a rotor secured to said shaft and rotatably disposed in the housing, said rotor having an outer surface forming the inner wall of the circular working section; seal means between said housing and said rotor; at least one piston formed on the rotor, a multiplicity of seal bars individually recessed in grooves in the piston perimeter surface, said seal bars being adapted to seal between the piston and the housing in a direction normal to the direction of rotation; means to urge said seal bars into sealing position against the housing; a slipper seal end recessed in the piston with the surface substantially flush with adjoining piston surface; connector means to radially restrain said slipper end and allow circumferential movement of the slipper seal end; a grille plate connecting said seal bars, said grille plate connecting forward and trailing seal bars to said slipper seal end, said grille plate consisting of a multiplicity of narrow, generally circumferentially oriented, individually recessed and spaced runners arranged to provide a bridging surface of the slipper seal in a circumferential direction to bridge the openings in the housing, said runners substantially conforming to the adjoining piston surface contour, said recesses having sufficient clearance to accommodate slipper seal movement related to radial in and out movement of the seal bars and expansion and contraction; at least one divider valve; means rotatably securing said divider valve in said housing and arranged such that said divider valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor to form an end closure across said working section; at least one rotatable compression-expansion valve; means rotatably securing said compression-expansion valve in said housing arranged such that said compression-expansion valve rotatably contacts the surface of the rotor in spaced relationship to the divider valve and divides the working section into an intake-compression space and an expansion-exhaust space, said compression-expansion valve having a combustion chamber formed therein, and having at least one compression port movable to communicate between the intake-compression space and the combustion chamber and having at least one expansion port movable to communicate between the combustion chamber and the expansion-exhaust space; a fuel intake valve communicating with said intake-compression space; means to deliver fuel to said fuel intake valve; means to initiate combustion in said combustion chamber; an exhaust port communicating with the expansion-exhaust space; and drive means between the rotor and the compression-expansion valve and divider valve to rotate the said valves in timed relationship to the rotor. 
     
     
       36. The combination called for in claim 35 in which the slipper seal end is shaped wih a fingered end that engages corresponding finger recesses in the piston. 
     
     
       37. The combination called for in claim 35 with the addition of: the seal bars of the slipper seal being spring urged against the housing surface. 
     
     
       38. The combination called for in claim 35 wherein each seal bar has slots extending part way from the bottom of the seal bar toward the grille plate as a means to provide flexibility along the length of the seal bar; a seal bar envelope of substantially U-shaped flat bottomed cross section with slots part way from the open side towards the bottom of the U to provide flexibiliy along the envelope; slots in the seal bar and slots in the envelope staggered so that the bar slots and envelope slots do not occur at the same location; the envelope being slidably disposed over and secured to the seal bar. 
     
     
       39. The combination called for in claim 35 with the addition of: an extension seal means formed on the ends of the seal bars recessed in the rotor to form a circumferential seal at the ends of the rotor face to complete the piston seal means continuity. 
     
     
       40. The combination called for in claim 35 in which the extension seal means comprises: a spring to urge the extension seal means outwardly, said extension seal means each having a forked end to straddle the end of a seal bar. 
     
     
       41. The combination called for in claim 35 in which the runners on said grille plate are formed at an angle to a plane normal to the rotor shaft to equalize surface wear in the engine block. 
     
     
       42. The combination called for in claim 35 wherein the means to urge said seal bars comprises: a spring adapted to urge at least one seal bar outwardly; a counterweight assembly comprising a counterweight; a pivoted lever; means adjustably securing said counterweight to said lever; means connecting at least one extension on the bottom of said seal bar to said lever; and hydraulic pressure means adapted to urge said seal bars and grille plate into pressure engagement with said inner wall of said housing. 
     
     
       43. The combination called for in claim 35 wherein the means to urge said seal bars comprises: a spring adapted to urge at least one seal bar outwardly; a counterweight assembly comprising a counterweight; a pivoted lever; means adjustably securing said counterweight to said lever; means connecting at least one extension on the bottom of said seal bar to said lever. 
     
     
       44. The combination called for in claim 43 in which the location of the counterweight location is adjustable on the counterweight arm.